Medications And Treatments For Muscles Spasms

I found a list of medications most commonly prescribed for muscle spasms. It’s extensive and I think you’ll find it educational. The off-label uses and what is at the local store are not on the list below. See if your doctor has tried everything for your spasms.

A spasm may be a muscle contraction caused by abnormal nerve stimulation or by abnormal activity of the muscle itself.

A spasm may lead to muscle strains or tears in tendons and ligaments if the force of the spasm exceeds the tensile strength of the underlying connective tissue. This can occur with a particularly strong spasm or with weakened connective tissue.

A hypertonic muscle spasm is a condition of chronic, excessive muscle tone (i.e., tension in a resting muscle). This is the amount of contraction that remains when a muscle is not working. A true hypertonic spasm is caused by malfunctioning feedback nerves. This is much more serious and is permanent unless treated. In this case, the hypertonic muscle tone is excessive, and the muscles are unable to relax.

A subtype of spasm is colic. This is an episodic pain caused by spasm of smooth muscle in a particular organ (e.g., the bile duct). A characteristic of colic is the sensation of having to move about, and the pain may induce nausea or vomiting.

Muscle spasms — in which a muscle tenses and cramps spontaneously — may be acute and they can also appear in a chronic form. If muscle spasms become chronic, they may cause pain and interfere in a person’s everyday activities.

Muscle spasms generally occur due to the overuse of the muscles, or they are associated with muscle tear and strain. Dehydration or an imbalance in electrolytes are two other frequent causes of muscle spasms. Even something as simple as not warming up before exercising can lead to muscle spasms.

Every muscle in the body can be affected by spasm. People who have to deal with chronic muscle spasms are advised to consult a doctor in order to receive proper treatment. The underlying cause of chronic muscle spasms must be identified.

List of centrally acting SMRs

Generic name	Brand name	Form	Generic available
carisoprodol	Soma	tablet	yes
carisoprodol/aspirin	not available	tablet	yes
carisoprodol/aspirin/codeine	not available	tablet	yes
chlorzoxazone	Parafon Forte, Lorzone	tablet	yes
cyclobenzaprine	Fexmid, Flexeril, Amrix	tablet, extended-release capsule	tablet only
metaxalone	Skelaxin, Metaxall	tablet	yes
methocarbamol	Robaxin	tablet	yes
orphenadrine	Norflex	extended-release tablet	yes
tizanidine	Zanaflex	tablet, capsule	yes

List of antispastics

Generic name	Brand name	Form	Generic available
baclofen	Lioresal, Gablofen, Lioresal	tablet, injection	yes
dantrolene	Dantrium	tablet	yes
diazepam	Valium

List of antispastics

Generic name	Brand name	Form	Generic available
baclofen	Lioresal, Gablofen, Lioresal	tablet, injection	yes
dantrolene	Dantrium	tablet	yes
diazepam	Valium

Treatment for muscle spasms

Chronic muscle spasms generally lead to muscle soreness and pain. In the majority of cases, patients would be recommended to have plenty of rest. The rest is not supposed to last longer than a few days, since regular but light physical movement helps.

A person may deal with muscle spasm by increasing a certain physical routine gradually. Furthermore, if one’s physical activity leads to muscle spasms, it can be replaced with an easier or less intense activity.

In people who have already suffered from muscle spasms, there is an increased chance for spasms to reoccur. To prevent the recurrence of muscle spasm, one may perform simple exercises such as stretching in order to increase the flexibility and elasticity of the joints and muscles.

The affected muscle can be wrapped in a comfortable bandage as it heals. This can successfully prevent internal muscular bleeding and the onset of repeated series of muscle spasms. And finally, there is one more way how to deal with muscle spasms. Home remedies for muscle spasms and cramps include relaxation techniques. Massage, heat therapies, and cold compresses are not supposed to be applied during the very attack of muscle spasm. They may be applied only after the spasms have subsided.

If you suffer from repeated muscle spasms, it is advisable to seek medical care for proper diagnosis and, where relevant, treatment. Should your muscle spasms not be caused by simple overexertion but instead by an underlying medical condition, you will want to be aware of the cause, so that you can receive treatment or learn how to best manage your muscle spasms.

I suffer from chronic muscle spasms, which bother me the most at bedtime. Maybe because all the chatter is gone. I take Methocarbamol, and cream for pain from Clearing to treat my spasms but I see there are several that are extended-release medications so I’ll talk with her about that.